Newbie

[bigmike2]

I have been lurking around the site for sometime. The first, days before I had my I/O and learned I had tc. I was diagnosed in November of 06 with Stage 1 classic seminoma. To date I have had the I/O and 17 radiation treatments. So, hello!

A couple questions:

1.) Like a few here I did not have the pre-surgery testosterone screening that is suggested. Influenced by doc not to worry about it. I requested one this last Friday and have not had results. Have your docs been inclined to do test replacement therapy when test was not done pre-surgery if your levels are "normal"? I have read the papers, but the question is your experience.

2.) Last Friday I went to the doctor because I noticed a lump in my abdomen while doing crunches. He sent me to get a CT scan (only 2nd scan done in a year; this includes the original before surgery). The scan results were negative for anything in the abdomen, but showed an enlarged lymph node in my left groin. So, he scheduled an ultrasound/biopsy for yesterday. I go, and the nurse nor a doctor she got to confirm saw nothing from the ultrasound. The doctor says he thought she was seeing blood vessels lumped together. He assured me nothing was there. Now I have a CT scan that says yes and an ultrasound that says no. Has anyone else had similar experience or suggestions?

[Sans rt1]

I have not had a similar experience. I assume the doctor was your oncologist, and it sounds like your doctor did not actually see copies of any of the ultrasound images - just what the ultrasond tech reported? I don't know how well ultrasound can look at lymph nodes, so hopefully others can weigh in on that. I understand your concern, and you should get the straight story - I would not feel all too good about someone "thinking" it was bloodvessels, I would want a little more certainty. In any event, I assume your doctor would plan on monitoring it in the future for any change.

A lot of us have slightly enlarged nodes, that are still within the "normal" range, that our doctors are just monitoring for change. For me, I was not even told originally about it, they just compared the next CT and saw no change (and the area was RT treated in the time between), so they think it is nothing. But still it concerns me, and my doctor did write an order to extend my current CT to cover the abdomen as well as the pelvic area to cover this area.

Had my follow-up appointment late yesterday afternoon, and for some reason, my oncologist's office never received the radiology report - so no CT results - and only partial results on my bloodwork were sent. My doctor appologized and said his office is really good about making sure all of the reslts are there for the appointment - but not this time. He told me that if the radiologists had seen anything in them, he would have received a call right away, so that most likely means it was OK. I know that is probably true, but it is nerve-wracking waiting to have a more definitive assessment - so come on phone ring!

Anyway, it is probably worth a few more questions to your doctor, if nothing else to ease your mind that your doctor is convinced it is just vessels - and if he is not absolutely certain what will be done to check them out further or at least monitor them for any change, etc. Good luck to you.

[veryworriedmom]

Can you ask about having a Pet/Ct scan which might show more activity than the CT alone and having another doctor, preferably an oncologist read the scan that showed the enlarged lymph node.? Check with the guys on the forum here but I believe scans are every 4 months the first year but it might depend on the original stage.